In 2085, the top and bottom of society are strictly defined, and ones position on the social ladder rarely changes without great amounts of luck or effort. While sometimes races can be fairly evenly spread across this ladder, others are very clearly found mostly at either extreme. From the slums and sewers of the world to places beyond the sky, the differences in racial makeup are even more clearly defined.
Werewolf: While werewolves are prevalent throughout society, this has not been as catastrophic as many would assume, primarily due to humans getting some of the facts wrong. While afflicted with what could be considered a curse, most werewolves do all in their power to prevent it from harming others, though there are many that will use the affliction to their advantage.
Werewolves can be found among all races, but mainly humans. When transformed into a werewolf either by choice or by a full moon, they become about 7 feet tall. Werewolves have a varied lifespan depending on their former race.
There are dedicated “Full Moon Shelters” for Werewolves to stay to prevent them from harming others during transformation, but accidents do occasionally happen, and some werewolves do act out of malice, perpetuating the curse.
Vampire: Vampires have existed and dwelt among humans since prehistory, and some have lived long enough to remember time even before then. Some have chosen to bridge the metaphorical gap between our species and theirs, and many have successfully integrated into society, surviving off of donated or sold blood.
Vampires can only come from humans, being the only species susceptible to the particular strain of pathogen that creates a vampire. Being immortal, vampires don't age past a certain point in adulthood (physically appearing to be in their mid 30s, typically). As such, their physical appearance tends to not differ much from the average human, aside from dilated eyes and fangs.
Vampires can in fact survive in sunlight, although they are weaker while exposed to it. They also do require human blood to survive, and a lucrative business has been created by human donors being willing to sell their blood to individual vampires. Many wealthier vampires will pay top dollar for the blood of celebrities, especially those who are already deceased.
Ghoul: Another result of a human-specific pathogen, ghouls are the stage of infection before becoming a full blown zombie. Still craving human flesh, but retaining their intelligence, satisfying their hunger is the one thing that will stave off the inevitable. If other races live in the bottom rungs of society, Ghouls live even lower, shunned and feared by almost everyone.
Ghouls in general will seem far paler than they did in life. While not suffering from levels of decay as their zombie brethren, there will still be visible signs of rotting. Ghouls also emit a very distinct stench, which many will make efforts to mask, but some have long since given up.
While only in the beginning stages of transformation, they are still able to transmit their contagion from bites. Many cities and countries will outright ban ghouls from entering their borders, while some make efforts to accommodate them where they can. Ghouls live on borrowed time, and as their infection progresses, many live the remainder of their lives with wild abandon.
Anubis: The Anubis are jackal-like humanoids originating from Egypt. Unlike their European cousins, the Werewolves, Anubis are completely in control of both of their forms, and many simply choose to remain in one or the other for months or years at a time. Also unlike the Werewolf, all Anubis have a natural connection to magic, similar to Elves.
Anubis tend to be 7 feet tall. When in ‘human form,’ Anubis still possess the eyes and ears of a Jackal. When in ‘anubis form,’ they look like the Egyptian god they are named after, with a humanoid body covered in dark fur, with the head of a jackal.
Thanks to their natural connection to magic, Anubis tend to serve as mages. While typically respected in their country of origin, they face varying levels of acceptance outside of Egypt. Most tend to stay either in Cairo or at least in the Middle East, making their services in other countries highly sought after.
Goblin: Goblins are considered vermin across the globe, at best. Known for tampering with power lines, stealing machine parts, or in some cases, pick-pocketing. Since the introduction of Ahumanity to the public, Goblins have found their way all across the globe and beyond.
They are the shortest of globally recognized Ahuman races, about 3-4 feet tall. They have long ears and noses, and are covered in dark green, leathery skin. They only possess 4 fingers on either hand, each of which ends in a yellow, claw-like nail.
Goblins almost exclusively live in the sewers underneath large cities, congregating in large hovels where they hoard their stolen goods. Goblins live by no laws, and bear no allegiances, even to their own families. However, every once in a while, a goblin comes along that is able to unite a large group, and can wreak havoc even in well-protected cities.
Dragon: Dragons were rare before Ahumanity was revealed, and are even more rare now. Following an outbreak of engineered diseases, most dragons are now unable to have children, and those that can have mostly gone into hiding for their own safety. True to their nature, Dragons can now be found as high-ranking CEOs, crime lords, or anywhere where wealth is made.
Dragons are able to disguise themselves as humans or similarly-sized Ahumans, but their true forms wildly vary. Some have four legs, or two, or even none, in the case of Wyrms. Universally, they are large creatures, and have natural control over a specific element or type of magic. Indeed, it’s just as likely to see one breathing lightning or ice as it is to see one breathe fire.
While secretive, a partnership with a dragon can be highly lucrative. They are fiercely loyal to those they call their friends, but do not take betrayal lightly. Even though the use of a ‘dragon form’ is illegal almost universally in populated areas, you can bet on a dragon finding a way to take you out if you’re on their bad side.
Fae: The most varied and the most magically powerful of all Ahuman races, the Fae are as respected for their abilities as they are feared. With a network of alliances, laws, and history far beyond our understanding, the Fae are also perhaps the most mysterious of Ahumans.
While wildly varying in appearance, Fae tend to be human-sized, and insectoid in appearance. Some have wings while others do not, but most Fae possess at least some shapeshifting ability, therefore their forms are not static.
While Fae are very powerful and make excellent allies no matter the situation, they rarely dwell in the affairs of other races for long. Most have at least a small network of contacts, allowing them to get access to what they or their associates need for a price. They also tend to have little interest in money, so even those will millions of UEC to burn may not be considered ‘qualified’ for their time.
There’s the official end to the guide of Races in the Crucifix universe. Tomorrow, we get into some of the early history of the Crucifix universe; the event known as “Speciation Day.” See you then!